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July 24, 2018

initiative

The Fellowship programme

What will happen during the Fellowship? Follow the programme below:

Before the OTT-TTI Fellowship starts:

1. Preparation for the TTI Exchange (month 1) – November 2018

In preparation for the first meeting, the young leaders will be asked to review and provide a brief (2-4 pages) assessment of their organisation’s organisational capacity development efforts over the last 10 years (supported by TTI). This assessment must consider a reflection of what has worked well, what hasn’t worked as well, why and what role they may play in further promoting reform.

These assessments will not be made public. These assessments will be used to develop the young leaders’ learning journals, they will be discussed during the meetings and workshops organised for them during the TTI Exchange, and in developing their personal development plans.

Young leaders will also complete a learning journal to ensure that they take full advantage of the sessions and discussions with peers at the TTI Exchange.

2. Participation in the TTI Exchange (month 1) –November 2018

The young leaders will first meet face to face at the TTI Exchange in Bangkok on 12-14 November.

The young leaders will have the chance to meet the day prior to the Exchange to get to know each other, share experiences and review their learning journals.

After the exchange, the young leaders will meet for an additional day with the Fellowship coordinator and the OTT Director (and a member of the TTI team) to reflect on what they have learned during the sessions and discussions and begin the process of developing a personal development plan.

These personal development plans will be then submitted as part of the application to join the Fellowship programme.

Young leaders who are not successful in joining the programme will still receive an invitation to the 2019 Winterschool (fees apply) and the 2019 OTT Conference (travel and accommodation must be covered by them). They will also be granted access to the OTT School library.

Fellowship starts: November 2018 to August 2019:

3. Assigning mentors (month 2) –December 2018

During this period, OTT will produce a short written interview with each Fellow. These will be published at the launch of the Fellowship programme and will serve as the basis of an on-film or audio interview produced during the Winterschool.

4. One on one mentoring- monthly mentoring meetings (months 3 to 9) –January 2018 to July 2019

Mentors will play a crucial role in helping Fellows to challenge themselves continuously, access the right type of support to strengthen their skills and capacities or to learn from others and inspiring them with alternatives and possibilities that emerge through their development.

The monthly online meetings with their mentors will be a space to revisit plans, adjust and discuss in depth those issues that are relevant to them at each point of their path. They also offer Fellows the chance to discuss prescient challenges and opportunities with their mentors.

Mentors will seek out additional speakers, guest mentors or advice from others for their mentees by drawing from OTT and TTI networks. They will introduce them during bi-monthly group calls and/or during their one to one calls.

Mentors will also help OTT to develop the bi-monthly Fellowship Newsletter with resources tailored for the Fellows – including a reading list of relevant literature.

5. Finalising personal development plans (month 2) – January 2018

During this period, 2017 Fellows will join to share their own experiences (through one or more webinars) with the new Fellows. This will help illustrate the very different paths that personal development can take.

Based on their own assessment and their mentors´ feedback through a personal conversation, they will produce a final version of their personal leadership development plan. Mentors will provide advice and feedback to refine these plans, which will be shared with all Fellows to identify common threads.

The development plans will have to be in place before the join the Winterschool at the end of January.

The development plans will inform the production of a bi-monthly newsletter targeted at the Fellows. The plans will also help identify the OTT School courses that Fellows would most benefit from. These may be available already (via recordings of past webinars) or accessible to the Fellows during 2019.

6. Access to OTT School (months 3 to 9) –January 2018 to July 2019

Supported by their mentors and based on their personal development plans, Fellows will gain access OTT School courses (recorded material from previous years and new courses scheduled for 2019).

Mentors will help the Fellows reflect on how the lessons learned in the courses may be applied to their personal and professional development.

Once the Fellowship is over, OTT will grant its Fellows (if they graduate) access to OTT School materials.

7. Winterschool (month 3) – January 2019

The Fellows will then join the Winterschool in Geneva. There, they will benefit from presentations from experienced thnktankers from leading think tanks and visits to UN institutions, local foundations, press bodies and other relevant players. They will also join at least other 10 future think tank leaders from across the world.

The Winterschool offers future leaders the chance to strengthen their skills and join a similar network as the Fellows but with a limited commitment.

At the end of the Winterschool the Fellows will come together for a final afternoon. This will offer them a chance to reflect on lessons learned as part of the Fellowship and in relation to their personal development plans. This meeting will take place at the end to avoid creating divisions between the Winterschool participants.

7. Graduation and Fellowship dissemination (months 9 to 10) –July to August 2019

To graduate, Fellows will be asked to:

Submit a report based on their personal development plans and record an interview to document their own assessment of their progress through the programme. All Fellows are expected to submit a report

Organise internal meetings at their own organisations to report on their year-long involvement in the Fellowship. At least one mentor will join in on these events via Skype.

Fellowship ends: September 2019 onwards:

8. Publication of lessons (months 11 onwards) – possibly up to February 2020

OTT will publish the Fellows’ lessons through a series short articles and interviews reflecting on the lessons learned and their recommendations for future leaders.

They will be invited to present their experience and any new developments and ideas at the OTT Conference in 2020 – only some of the Fellows will be able to attend.

9. Access to OTT School materials and ongoing support (months 11 onwards)

OTT Fellows will receive access to the materials (videos, background notes, etc.,) of the OTT School as well as ongoing support from the OTT team through a dedicated online forum.

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